2026 Students of Distinction

Dylan Trombly: Triumphing over personal struggles through service

Gig Harbor Now is posting profiles featuring the Students of Distinction being honored by the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation. Peers, teachers or parents nominate students, who must be a graduating senior at a Peninsula School District school. A panel of community leaders selects students to be honored in one of seven categories: academics; athletics; career and technical excellence; community service; music, arts and drama; overcoming adversity; and science and technology.

These students will be celebrated during a banquet from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, at Ocean5, 5268 Pt. Fosdick Dr.

School: Henderson Bay High School

Category: Community service

For Dylan Trombly, community service became more than simply volunteering — it became part of rebuilding his own life. Through leadership, advocacy, and service to others, the Henderson Bay High School senior transformed personal struggles into a source of strength and purpose.

As president of Henderson Bay’s Interact Club and founder of the school’s Circle of Friends program, Dylan dedicated himself to creating welcoming spaces where students could connect, support one another, and feel seen. He also helped organize food drives, blood drives, community fundraisers, and Thanksgiving meal deliveries while volunteering extensively with the Fish Food Bank.

Dylan Trombly

One of the accomplishments he is most proud of was leading a Thanksgiving food drive in partnership with Pioneer Elementary that collected more than 2,000 pounds of food for local families in need.

“Having the chance to directly give back to an organization that supports an endless number of people showed me how powerful community is,” Dylan says.

That understanding of community became especially meaningful because of Dylan’s own experiences navigating depression, PTSD, and Bipolar Disorder throughout much of middle and high school.

“For years, success was surviving,” he says. “Now, success is being able to confidently say I am okay.”

Dylan openly shares that there was a time when simply getting through the day felt like an accomplishment. But through growth, healing, and support from others, he began building a future he once struggled to imagine for himself.

Today, Dylan says he is proud to be thriving — preparing for college, working full-time, and pursuing goals with renewed hope and confidence. This fall, he will attend Loyola University Chicago to study clinical psychology with the long-term goal of earning a doctorate in the field.

His experiences with mental health have inspired him to help others facing similar challenges. “I want to be able to help people feel seen and supported,” he says.

Whether through leadership, service, or simply being present for others, Dylan has learned that some of the most meaningful impact comes from reminding people they are not alone.